Pitch adjusting device for wind musical instruments



A. CICCONE Feb. 9, 1932.

PITCH ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed May 31, 1950 Patented Feb. 9, 1932 PATENT OFFICE ANTHONY CICCONE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS PITCH ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR WIND MUSIC/AL INSTRUMENT$ application filed May 31,

This invention relates to pitch adjusting devices for wind musical instruments such as saxophones and the like, and has for its obj ect to provide a new and improved device of I this description.

The extreme high notes onsuch instruments as the saxophone, for example, are nearly always either sharp or flat due to certain things, among which are the following:

The tone holes for these high notes are very close to the mouth piece and the air has such a short distance to travel that it makes control of the tones very difficult. Different manufacturers have different measurements of bore and the mouth piece manufacturers cannot go to the expense of making mouth pieces to fit all of them, so they strike some medium with the result that the mouth piece does not accurately fit many makes of instruments.

The facing or curved part of the mouth piece on which the reed is placed and held by means of ligatures is very important also, as the quality, volume and trueness of tone 25 depends largely on this, and these facings vary in different mouth pieces. The long and open facing tilts to make the high notes sharp, while the close, short facing causes them to be flat.

The principal mouth pieces are made of hard rubber and they warp in time, and this throws the facing out and effects the trueness of the tone. If these warped mouth pieces are refaced, then they will not play the same 35 as before.

No two players blow just alike or have the same shaped mouth. Some use more pressure or bite than others. Those who bite too hard cause these high notes to be sharp, while those who use very little pressure with the mouth cause them to be fiat.

One of the objects of my invention is t6 provide a device for adjusting the pitch of these high notes when any of these, or any other cause, make the pitch too high or too low.

The invention has other objects which are more particularly pointed out in the accompanying description.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a 1930. Serial No. 458,283.

view of a saxophone with parts omitted showing the upper tone holes and keys.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 with parts omitted.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified construction.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

In the construction illustrated the instrument has an air tube 1 with a mouth piece 2. This air tube has a series of tone holes in it which are controlled by keys operated by the fingers of the player. For purpose of illustration I have shown some of the upper keys where the greatest need for adjustment occurs. These keys 3 are connected with a shaft 4 mounted in bearings 5 on the tube 1. The keys are located over the tone openings and are normally closed. The desired keys are opened as the player plays the instrument.

In the construction shown the tone openings are provided with rims 6. Some means is associated with these tone openings so that their distance from the mouth piece may be varied to adjust the pitch. In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. this is produced by providing the tone openings with the adjusting member 7. This member consists of a circular piece which fits into the tone opening and which has a ledge 8 resting on the top thereof. This adjusting piece is provided with an opening 9 through which the tone passes. The opening 9 is eccentrically located with relation to the adjusting piece 7, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. By moving this adjusting piece the opening 9 may be moved toward or from the mouth piece. In Fig. 3 it is shown in full lines in one position and in dotted lines in a position farther away from the mouth piece.

It will be understood that these parts are arranged and are of such size as to give the necessary adjustment to correct any sharp or flat condition that may be presented. Some means is also provided for setting the adjusting device in any desired position, and for this purpose I have illustrated a set screw 10. When it is desired with this device to adjust the pitch for any of the keys, it is onlj necessary to rotate the adjusting member 7 so as to change the position of the opening 9 while the instrument is being played and until the proper pitch is secured, thereupon the adjusting device 7 is locked in position by the set screw 10. The key 3 fits down upon the top of the device so as to cover the opening 9 in the usual way and is lifted to uncover said opening in the usual way.

It will thus be seen that any player can adjust the keys to his own peculiarities or to the peculiarities of the mouth piece, or because of any other reason, so as to secure the proper pitch.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown a modified construction. In this construction there is an adjusting member 11 in the tone opening which has an opening 12 therein. An adjusting piece 13 is slidably mounted in the member 11 so that it may be slid to vary the opening 12 and to vary the distance of the center of said opening from the mouth piece. The piece 13 is held in any of its adjusted. positions by the screw 14.

It will be seen that in all these devices the distance from the mouth piece of the center of the opening through which the tone, passes, is varied. V

It will be noted that there is no intricate mechanism in this device to get out of order or wear out. It will further be noted that the regular appearance of the instrument is not altered and there is no noticeable weight added, and that the cost over the ordinary instrument is exceedingly small.

I claim:

1. A pitch adjusting device for wind musical instruments having a mouth piece and tone openings comprising a separate adjusting device associated with one of the tone openings and adapted to be adjusted to vary the pitch of said tone opening independent of the other tone openings.

2. A pitch adjusting device for wind musical instruments having a mouth piece and tone openings comprising a separate adjusting device movably associated with one of the tone openings arranged to vary the distance of the center of the tone opening from the mouth piece of the instrument so as to adjust the pitch of the tone through said tone opening independent of the other tone openings.

. 3. A pitch adjusting device for wind musical instruments having a mouth piece and tone openings comprising a separate adjusting device movably associated with one of the tone openings arranged to vary the distance of the center of the tone opening from the mouth iece of the instrument so as to adjust the pitch of the tone through said tone opening, and means for fixing said adjusting device in any of its adjusted positions.

4:. A pitch adjusting device for wind Inusical instruments having a mouth piece and tone openings, comprising a separate adjusting device for each tone opening consisting of a piece inserted in the tone opening and having an eccentric opening therein, said iece adjustable so as to vary the position 0 the eccentric opening with relation to the mouth piece to adjust the pitch of the tone through said tone opening whereby the tone openings are independently adjusted.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 29th day of May, 1930.

ANTHONY CICCONE. 

